Santa Cruz Island

A different view of Santa Cruz.  From the National Geographic Islander lit ooks as if more than half of the upper part of the island is gone, but of course it's not; it's just covered by the mist or rather by the rain, the heavy rain that is our companion today. The first emotion that comes to our minds is that of annoyance, but once we disembarked and got exposed to the rain, we found how pleasant it is to feel the freedom of walking under its smooth touch. “Raindrops are falling on my head…” seems to be what everyone’s mind is intoning.

The tortoises are the happiest entities of the world. Even those in captivity are displaying differently. Their sexual activities are triggered in association with rain. As long as there is water available (water from heavens), their reproduction is ensured.

Along the road we all enjoyed the tranquility; the green color of the plants is everywhere, and we get to understand why natural selection chose it. One of the most rewarding sightings today was seeing the Scalesia plants in bloom. This delicate sunflower related species was showing the beauty of its ancestral character, manifested in a little flower.

After the emotion of dealing with nature, we had a chance to share with the human population of the Galápagos, learning of the local’s ways of being, enjoying the essence of their “galapagueñismo”; a great cultural opportunity.

We won’t forget this day, but tomorrow… well tomorrow for sure we’ll experience the splendor of nature again.